Tom Aspinall recently sent the MMA sphere buzzing when he announced on his social media, “Heavyweight news. Coming soon.” With that came the chaos of speculation. Was this the long-awaited showdown with Jon Jones? Another interim title defense? But then came the punchline as the interim heavyweight champion joked, “Sorry, guys, I’m fighting for a new belt. Interim of the interim BMF UFC heavyweight title. Living my best life.”
That wasn’t just trolling. It was frustration bubbling up, and it mirrored the mood of a fan base that has waited far too long for a real resolution. With still no signs of ‘Bones’ unifying the title against the British phenom, veteran analyst Luke Thomas chimed in with a very real concern. Could Dana White and the UFC have made a blunder that ruined the “future” of the heavyweight division? And are they repeating it with Aspinall? Let’s find out.
Luke Thomas paints a worrying picture as Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall’s fight still remains unconfirmed
Speaking on a video on his YouTube channel, Luke Thomas began by stating, “You can just look at my mentions from that time, social media, here on this channel, as well as some of the comments, so many people being like ‘Oh what, we’re supposed to cancel the Stipe fight?’”
Let’s rewind for a bit. Back in November 2024, Jones returned from injury and beat Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, defending his undisputed heavyweight crown. But many questioned whether that fight, against an older Miocic, coming off a three-year layoff, should’ve even happened, especially with Tom Aspinall waiting in the wings and having defended the interim belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
As such, Thomas continued his tirade by stating, “That fight should have been cancelled, it was f— stupid and now look where we are. Now look where we are. We had Jon Jones fight a f— corpse, making a pretty dollar, which fine, he’s entitled to make money for his services. But for doing f—- nothing, for doing nothing…”
Harsh? Maybe. But was it wrong? That’s what fans are now asking. Because the Miocic bout, as legendary as it sounded on paper, didn’t settle the question of who rules the heavyweight division, it stalled it. Now, Jones is having the time of his life in Thailand, watching Nate Diaz get into brawls on reality show sets and stating on social media, “I don’t know if it’s considered ducking when you’re living good.”
March 4, 2023, Las Vegas, NV, LAS VEGAS, NV, USA: LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 4: Jon Jones prepares to fight Ciryl Gane in their Heavyweight fight during the UFC 285 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 4, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Las Vegas, NV USA – ZUMAp175 20230304_zsa_p175_251 Copyright: xLouisxGrassex
According to Thomas, the Miocic fight was a, “total waste of time because all it’s done is waste time in Tom Aspinall’s career and all it’s done is now making him being able to get back out there and take care of the future of the heavyweight division, all the more difficult to the point of nearly being impossible.”
Tom Aspinall’s skill and firepower are undeniable. He’s earned the right to unify the belt and has even defended the interim title to make his case even more concrete. But instead of gearing up for a war with Jon Jones, he’s left firing off jokes and waiting for a call that may never come. So, what now? Should the UFC and Dana white pull the plug on this drawn-out charade and avoid the same pitfall as the Miocic fight? Because if nothing changes soon, it won’t be just Aspinall who gets shortchanged, it’ll be the entire future of the heavyweight division.
Alexander Volkov blasts the UFC for allowing Jones to “behave this way.”
Tom Aspinall holds the interim crown, Jon Jones holds the ‘real’ one, and neither is moving. The heavyweight division, once roaring with momentum, now sits still like a statue gathering dust. And fighters like Alexander Volkov? They’re tired of waiting. The 36-year-old Russian is currently ranked No. 3 in the division, and while the Aspinall-Jones drama drags on, he’s watching his window of opportunity to make a title run shrink rapidly.
In a recent interview with ChampionAT, he confessed, “As a fighter, I have a negative opinion about the delay of the Jones-Aspinall fight because my chances to compete for the championship title are shrinking, and time is running out. In other weight classes, there’s a steady stream of fights. That’s why I’m unhappy. I could have tested myself in a title fight long ago if it weren’t for Jon Jones.”
Hard to argue with that. Volkov hasn’t fought since his razor-close split decision loss to Ciryl Gane in December 2024 at UFC 310. A comeback bout against Jailton Almeida was reportedly on the table for him recently, but he passed. Why? He was holding out for something bigger. While he claimed that he understands ‘Bones’s reluctance, he doesn’t blame him for the delay.
Instead, Volkov fired off by stating, “The issue isn’t just Jon Jones but UFC’s excessive loyalty, allowing him to behave this way.”
And fans? They’re fed up too. A growing online petition has surfaced on Change.org, demanding that the UFC and Dana White strip Jon Jones of the title if he won’t unify the belts against Tom Aspinall soon, and it has already gathered over 100,000 signatures. In the end, the question haunting the sport isn’t just whether Jon Jones will return, but whether the UFC has let him stall the division to the point of no return. Is Dana White ready to fix the mess, or will this era be remembered not for greatness, but for what could’ve been? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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